Universal support system for reflextype loudspeaker



Oct. 21, 1958 s. E. LEVY 2,857,012

UNIVERSAL SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR REFLEX-TYPE! LOUDSPEAKER Filed Jan. 25,1957 FIQI.

INVENTOR. SIDNEY E. LEVY United States Patent ()fitice Patented Oct.21,1958

UNIVERSAL SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR REFLEX- TYPE LOUDSPEAKER Sidney E. Levy,White Plains, N. Y., assignar of one-half to Arthur Blumenfeld, NewYork, N. Y.

Application January 23, 1957, Serial No. 635,750

2 Claims. (Cl. 181-27) This invention relates to a universal supportsystem for a horn loudspeaker having a non-circular horn openingproducing a generally planar sound pattern, by which the horn may beoriented in any desired plane in a simple manner.

Previously, loudspeakers of this type have not been provided with meansfor changing the orientation of the horn after it had been mounted. Theparticular orientation secured was determined by the direction in whichthe loudspeaker was mounted and any change in orientation could only besecured by moving the mounting as a whole.

I have devised a horn whose rear mounting section or end wall is in aplane substantially perpendicular to the central axis of the horn andhas therein a centrally disposed generally circular hole. Backing up theexternal side of the end wall is a mounting plate, and a readilytightened and loosened clamping means passesthrough the hole to bringthe mounting plate against the end wall. The mounting plate is pivotallymounted on a support member so that it swings about an axisperpendicular to the central axis of the born, with means to preventthis swinging when desired. The support member in turn is pivotallymounted on a stationary member so that it swings about an axisperpendicular to the axis about which the mounting plate swings, withmeans to prevent this swinging when desired. I have also provided anarrangement for taking advantage of the inner born assembly whichextends from the rear section of the horn toward the non-circularopening in horns of this type, by utilizing the inner horn assembly aspart of the clamping means, especially when a simple support system isdesired.

In the drawings,

Fig. l is a plan view of a loudspeaker with a horn and sound driver,with the horn shown partly in section, along the line 1-1 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the loudspeaker with the major axis ofthe horn mouth disposed along the horizontal plane; and

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the loudspeaker with the major axis ofthe horn mouth disposed along the vertical plane.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 shows the completed assembly of a loudspeakerand mounting system in accordance with the invention. The horn comprisesan outer bellshaped member in section and an inner member which includesa tone arm and reflector assembly 12. The outer member 10 is a shellwhose mouth opening is generally rectangular or oblong in shape. Theshell 10 tapers from its mouth to an end Wall 11. This wall is providedwith a circular opening for receiving the inner member as sembly 12,hereinafter described.

The tone arm and reflector assembly 12 is shown in full view and may beany such device known in the art for elongating the effective length ofthe expansion sound path of a horn. In the art, such an assembly isknown as a reflex-type horn, although this assembly is not limited toreflex horns. The assembly 12. is afiixed to a generallyring-shaped baseplate 13 which is adjacent to the inner side of the end wall 11. On theside of the plate 13 remote from the reflector assembly 12 is a boss 14which may be attached to the plate 13 or may be made an integral portionof the plate by casting or forging methods. The boss is internallythreaded. for receiving an externally threaded hollow portion of a sounddriver unit 15, which is any means for converting electrical energy tosound energy. The hollow portion of the boss and the attached driverunit provide a sound path from the sound chamber of the driver unit tothe mouth of the tone arm. The electrical connections to the sounddriver unit are not shown but are understood to be connected in anyknown manner.

Adjacent to the outer side of the end wall 11 is a mounting plate 16which is a generally ring-shaped member with a pair of ears forpivotally attaching thereto a U-bracket 17. The central opening of themounting plate 16 is sufiiciently large to pass the boss 14. Themounting plate 16 is pivotally attached to the U-bracket 17 by a pair ofmounting bolts 18. The U-bracket 17 is pivotally attached to a stablesupport by a mounting bolt 18a.

Three clamping bolts 19 pass through aligned holes in mounting plate 16and internally threaded holes in base plate 13, so that the bolts 19,the mounting plate 16 and the base plate 13 can operate as a clamp onthe rim of the end wall 11 of horn 10. The bolts 18, 18a and 19 arereadily tightened to prevent rotation and readily loosened to permitrotation of the horn 10 about the axis of the assembly 12.

The end wall 11 is freely rotatable between the outer periphery of baseplate 13 and the mounting plate 16 when clamping bolts 19 aresufiiciently loosened. When clamping bolts 19 aretightened, the horn 10at the end Wall 11 is clamped in a rigid position depending on thedesired orientation of the horn 10.

It is to be appreciated that the orientation of the horn member 10 maybe rotated to any desired plane other than the horizontal or vertical,as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 respectively. Thus, in accordance with themounting bracket means of the invention, a horn having an oblongitudinalmouth for producing a generally planar sound pattern may be used todirect the sound pattern along any desired plane.

Although the loudspeaker has been described in terms of a reflex-typehorn in which a tone arm and reflector assembly 12 is an essentialelement, it is to be appreciated that any horn having a generallynon-circular mouth opening, not necessarily a refiex-type horn, may beused in accordance with the principles of the invention. For example,the inner member for clamping the bell shell to the mounting bracket 16may be simply the base plate 13.

I claim:

1. A loudspeaker capable of broadcasting in any selected direction,comprising a horn having an outer member of generally oblong form at themouth tapering to a throat with an end wall a part of which issubstantially perpendicular to the axis of the horn, the tapered sectionof said outer member being generally oblong for a sub- .stantial portionof the length from the mouth to the throat, said wall having a generallycircular hole, and an inner plate-like member; in combination with auniversal support system including a support member capable of beingconnected to a stationary base, a first rotationprevention means forpreventing the support member from rotating with respect to thestationary base, a mounting plate pivotally mounted on the supportmember to rotate about an axis perpendicular to the axis about which thesupport member rotates, a second rotationprevention means for preventingthe mounting plate from tone-arm assembly, said assembly being disposedcoaxially rotating with respect to the support member, and clamp- Withthe axis of said horn ing means connecting the plate-like member to themounting plate, said clamping means extending Within the cir- ReferencesCited In h file of ihls Pawnt cular opening of the outer member of thehorn, and the 5 UNHED sTATES PATENTS peripheral portion of the circularopening of said outer 2,381,174 Massa Aug 7, 1945 member being clampedbetween the mounting plate and 2 494134 Levy Jan 10 1950 the plate-likemember to support solely and fix the horn in position, said peripheralportion being freely rotatable OTHER REFERENCES when said clamping meansis in an unclamped position. 10

2. A loudspeaker according to claim 1 and wherein F Loudspeakers byhlte: Audlo Engl' said inner plate-like member is aflixed to a reflectorand 661mg, May 1948' (only page 25 pemnent)

